Patrick Field is Managing Director at the Consensus Building Institute (CBI), Associate Director of the MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program, and Senior Fellow at the University of Montana Center for Natural Resources and Environmental Policy. As one of the country’s most experienced group facilitators, Mr. Field has helped thousands of stakeholders reach agreement on organizational mergers,
consensus
An agreement among all participating stakeholders. (Lawrence E. Susskind, Sarah McKearnan and Jennifer Thomas-Larmer, The Consensus Building Handbook [Sage Publications, 1999], 327)
The following items are tagged consensus.
David Fairman
David Fairman is Managing Director at the Consensus Building Institute (CBI), Associate Director of the MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program, and Lecturer in MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from MIT and a B.A. from Harvard College. At MIT, his academic focus is the application of negotiation and
The Economy’s Looking Up: So, Can I Have a Raise?
Author: Sue Shellenbarger
It’s never easy to ask for a raise or extra perks, especially during a recession. To make matters worse, many workers have trouble negotiating a new compensation package on their own behalf. In this column, Iris Bohnet, a public policy professor and vice chair of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School,
Adding Value to E-mail Negotiations
Adapted from “Make the Most of E-mail Negotiations,” first published in the Negotiation newsletter.
At a recent social gathering of professionals, the topic of negotiating via e-mail came up. “My work team is constantly shooting e-mails back and forth,” said Sarita. “But since I’m driving and meeting with clients most of the time, I can’t respond
Winning in the New Century Means…
Co-authored by Pierre Pettigrew, Mark Freeman,
Robert C. Bordone, Reza Nasri, Balaji Chandramohan
In the 21st century, the power to persuade will be a more practical and useful tool for settling disputes than flexing either military or economic muscle. In this posting, Robert C. Bordone, Thaddeus R. Beal Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Harvard
Devilish Contractual Details
Adapted from “Is the Devil in the Details?,” first published in the Negotiation newsletter.
You’re close to a deal, but concerns linger. Some of the contract terms seem less than precise. What in the world does “reasonable best efforts” mean, for example, or “good faith”? Negotiators in this commonplace situation face a choice: push for more
Too Tough Talk?
Adapted from “Break Through the Tough Talk,” by Kristina A. Diekmann (University of Utah) and Ann E. Tenbrunsel (Notre Dame University), first published in the Negotiation newsletter.
You might think that cultivating a reputation as a tough bargainer might be the best way to cope with a competitive opponent. But this isn’t necessarily the best strategy.
Change the Trust Default
Adapted from “How to Build Trust at the Bargaining Table,” first published in the Negotiation newsletter.
Carol’s longtime doctor diagnoses her with a serious illness and recommends immediate, aggressive treatment. Carol would like to seek a second opinion, but she doesn’t want to offend her doctor—who, after all, has always provided her with excellent care. Carol
Building Relationships: After the Deal Comes the Hard Part
Jeswald W. Salacuse (Henry J. Baker Professor of Law; former Dean, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University; author of The Global Negotiator and Seven Secrets for Negotiating with Government)
If you think that hammering out a deal which is agreed to by all parties is the last step, think again. Now you’ve got to
Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program Featured on HLS Website
“In the polarized atmosphere of Washington, D.C. today, consensus is becoming an increasingly rare commodity, as this year’s debates over health care reform and financial regulation have made clear. To help curb that trend, twenty senior federal officials – both Republicans and Democrats – met in Washington in July to hone









